French artist JR recently opened his first solo museum exhibition in Tokyo, Japan at The Watari Museum of Contemporary Art. Known for his large scale outdoor works and brilliant communication of social matters, JR created an impressive mural on the facade of the museum featuring inhabitants from northeast Japan affected by the March 2011 tsunami, in addition to the large amount of works hanging inside the museum. The show features artworks from his ambitious “inside out project” – JR’s global art project encouraging locals to discover the unsung heroes from their own towns.

We used the occasion to catch up with JR and to talk to him about the exhibition and his work. Flip through some images in the gallery above and check out our conversation with the artist below. Make sure to drop by the exhibition running until June 2nd if you’re in town.